Chapter 6

Telecommunications
and Networks
James A. O'Brien, and George Marakas. Management Information Systems
with MISource 2007, 8th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2007. ISBN: 13
9780073323091
Network Concepts
 A network is an interconnected or interrelated
organized

chain, group, or system

 The number of possible connections on a
network is N(N–1) or N2 –N
 N = number of nodes (points of connection)
 Example: 10 computers on a network =
10(10–1)
= 10x9 = 90 possible connections

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 2

Telecommunications-Based Services

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 3

Internet Networking Technologies
 Internet networking technologies are being
used as technology platform
 Web browser suites
 HTML Web page editors
 Network management software
 Firewalls
 Being applied in Internet, intranet, and
extranet applications
 Reinforces previous move
highlights toward
client/server networks based on open-systems
architecture
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 4
Open Systems
 Open systems use common standards for
hardware, software, applications, and networks
 Internet networking technologies are a
common standard for open systems
 Connectivity
 Open systems provide greater connectivity
and network interoperability
 Middleware may be needed to help diverse
systems work together

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 5

Middleware
 Middleware
 A general term for any programming that
mediates between two separate programs
 Allows a particular database to access other
databases without custom programming
(e.g DB2) to access ather databases(e.g Oracle)without the need for custom coding.

 Commonly known as the “plumbing” of an

information system
 It routes data and information between back-
end data sources and end user applications
 An essential component of any IT
infrastructure because it allows different systems to be joined together in a common framework.

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 6

Digital Network Technologies
 Telecommunications are being revolutionized
change

by switch from analog to digital

 Analog: voice-oriented transmission
 Digital: discrete pulse transmission
 Benefits
 Higher transmission speeds
 Moves larger amounts of information
 Greater economy and much lower error rates
 Transmits multiple types of communications
(data, voice, video) on the same circuits

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 7

Wireless Technologies
 Fiber-optic
 Uses pulses of laser-generated light
 Reduced size and installation effort
 Vastly greater communication capacity
 Faster transmission speeds
 Freedom from electrical interference
 Satellite Transmission
 Can move massive quantities of data, audio,
huge

and video over global networks

 Especially useful in isolated areas

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 8

Internet2
 Next generation of the Internet
 High-performance
 Different infrastructure than the current
Internet
 Will not replace the current Internet
 One big misconception about internet2 is that it’s a sequel to the original internet and will replace it [Link] never will,because it was never
develop to replace the [Link],its purpose is to build a road map that can be followed during the next stage of innovation for the current
internet.,with new addressing protocols and satellite quality streaming video,but it might take close to 10 years before we see them,

 In use at over 200 universities, scientific

institutions, communications corporations
 May never become totally open
 Users are connected via Abilene, a backbone
that supports throughput of 10 Gbps
 Infinite bandwidth
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 9
The Internet Revolution
 The Internet has become a global information
superhighway
 Millions of smaller, private networks operating
independent of, or in harmony with, each
coordination

other
 10 servers in 1991 to over 46 million today
 Sustained growth in excess of 1 million
continued

servers per month

 No central computer system
 No governing body
 Based on common standards
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 10
Internet Service Providers
 ISP
 A company that specializes in providing easy
access to the Internet
 For a monthly fee, provides software, user
name, password, and Internet access
 ISPs themselves are connected to one another
through network access points
 One ISP can easily connect to another to
obtain addresses of websites or user nodes

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 11

Internet Applications
 Most popular Internet applications and uses
 E-mail
 Instant messaging
 Browsing the Web
 Newsgroups
 Chat rooms
 Publish opinions, subject matter, creative work
 Buy and sell
 Downloading (data, software, reports, pictures,
music, videos)

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 12

Business Value of the Internet

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 13

The Role of Intranets
 Many companies have sophisticated and
widespread intranets, offering…
 Detailed data retrieval
 Collaboration
 Personalized customer profiles
 Links to the Internet
 Intranets use Internet technologies
 Web browsers and servers
 TCP/IP network protocols
 HTML publishing and databases

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 14

Intranets
 Intranets are protected by…
 Passwords
 Encryption
 Firewalls
 Customers, suppliers, and other business
partners can access an intranet via extranet
links

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 15

Extranets
 Network links that use Internet technologies to
connect the intranet of a business to the
intranets of another
 Virtual Private Networks
 Direct private network links, or private secure
Internet links between companies
 Unsecured Extranet
 Link between a company and others via the
Internet, relying on encryption of sensitive
data and firewall security systems

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 16

Telecommunications Network
Alternatives
 Telecommunications is a highly technical,
rapidly changing field
 Most business professionals don’t need
detailed technical knowledge
 However, understanding basic components
and their characteristics is necessary
 Can help you make informed decisions about
telecommunications alternatives

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 17

Telecommunications Network Model
 A telecommunications network is any
arrangement where
 A sender transmits a message
 To a receiver
 Over a channel
 Consisting of some sort of medium

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Telecommunications Network
Components
 Terminals
 Any input/output device that uses networks
to transmit or receive data
 Telecommunications processors
 Devices that support data transmission,
reception
 Telecommunications channels
 Media over which data are transmitted,
received
 Computers
 All sizes and types
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 19
Telecommunications Network
Components
 Telecommunications control software
 Controls telecommunications activities
 Manages the functions of telecommunications
networks
 Includes network management programs of all
kinds
 Telecommunications monitors (mainframes)
 Network operating systems (network servers)
 Web browsers (microcomputers)

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Network Component Alternatives

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 21

Types of Communications
Networks
 Primary types of communications networks
 Wide Area
 Local Area
 Virtual Private
 Client/Server
 Peer-to-peer

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Wide Area Network (WAN)
 Telecommunication network that covers a large
geographic area

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 23

Local Area Network (LAN)
 Connects
computers
within a limited
physical area,
such as an
office,
classroom, or
building

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 24

Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
 Used to establish secure intranets and extranets
 The Internet is the main backbone network
 Relies on network firewalls, encryption, and
other security features to build a “pipe”
through the Internet. through this pipe,we can send and receive our data without anyone
outside the pipe being able to see or access our transmissions.

 Creates a private network without the high

cost of a separate proprietary connection

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 25

Virtual Private Network

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 26

Client/Server Networks
 Clients
 End user personal computers or networked
computers
 Servers
 Used to manage the networks
 Processing
 Shared between the clients and servers
 Sometimes called a two-tier architecture
 Larger computer systems are being replaced with
multiple client/server networks

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Client/Server Network

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 28

Network Computing
 Networks are the central computing resource of
the organization
 Thin clients provide a browser-based user
interface for processing applets
 Thin clients include
 Network computers
 Net PCs
 Other low-cost network devices or
information appliances

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 29

Peer-to-Peer Networks
 Central Server Architecture
 P2P file-sharing software connects all PCs
to a central server that contains a directory of all of the other users(peer) in the network.

 When a PC requests a file, the server

searches the directory for any other users who have that file and are online at that moment.

all active peers on the network

 Then server sends the requesting PC a list of
links to all active peers who have the file
 Clicking a link connects the two PCs and
automatically transfers the file to the from his or her hard drive

requesting PC. making peer to peer connection

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 30

Telecommunications Media Twisted pair wire

 Twisted-Pair Wire
 Ordinary telephone wire
 Copper wire is twisted
into pairs Coaxial cable

 Coaxial Cable
 Sturdy copper or
aluminum wire wrapped
with spacers to insulate
and protect it
 Fiber-Optic Cable Fiber optic cable

 One or more hair-thin

filaments of glass
fiber wrapped in a
protective jacket
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 31
Wireless Technologies
 Terrestrial Microwave
 Earthbound microwave systems transmit
high-speed radio signals
 Follows a line-of-sight path between relay systems
spaced about 30 miles apart
 Communications Satellites
 Serve as relay stations
 Use microwave radio signals
 Earth stations beam signals to the satellites
 Not suitable for interactive, real-time processing

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 32

Wireless Technologies
 Cellular and PCS Telephone and Pager Systems
 Geographic areas are divided into cells
 Each cell has a low-power transmitter or radio relay
antenna
 Computers and other communications processors
coordinate and control the transmissions to and from
mobile users
 Wireless LANS
 Uses wireless radio-wave technology to
connect PCs within an office or a building
 Can be high-frequency, similar to digital
cellular, or low frequency (spread spectrum)

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 33

Wireless Technologies
 Bluetooth
 Short-range wireless technology
 Connects PCs to devices, such as a printer
 Fairly low cost to implement
 Other Wireless Systems
 Cellular phones
 Mobile radio
 PDAs
 Telecommunications networks now play vital and
pervasive roles in
 Web-enabled e-business processes
 Electronic commerce
 Enterprise collaboration
 Other applications that support business operations,
management, and strategic objectives
Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 34
The Wireless Web
 Wireless Internet access is growing as Web-
enabled information appliances proliferate
 Smart telephones, pagers, PDAs
 All are very thin clients in wireless networks

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 35

Telecommunications Processors
 Modems
 The most common type of communications
processor
 Converts a digital signal to an analog
frequency that can be transmitted over phone
lines, then back into a digital signal
convert

 Modulation and demodulation

This process is called

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 36

Inter-Network Processors
 Switch… makes connections between
telecommunications circuits in a network
 Router… intelligent communications processor
that interconnects networks based on different
protocols
 Hub… a port-switching communications
processor
 Gateway… connects networks with different
communications architectures

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 37

Communications Processors
 Multiplexer… allows a single communications
channel to carry simultaneous data
transmissions from many terminals
 In time division multiplexing (TDM), the
multiplexer divides the time each terminal can
use the high-speed into short time slots
 Multiplexers increase the number of
transmissions possible
 Does not increase the number of physical
data channels

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 38

Network Topologies
 Topology - The structure of a network
 Star Network - Ties end user computers to a central
computer
 Ring Network - Ties local computer processors together
in a ring on a relatively equal basis
 Bus Network - Local processors share the same
communications channel
 Mesh Network - Uses direct communications lines to
connect some or all of the computers in the ring to
each other
 Switch - A message-switching computer that handles
data communication between autonomous
local computers
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Network Topologies

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 40

Bandwidth
 Bandwidth
 The frequency range of a telecommunications
channel that determines the maximum
transmission rate
 Speed and capacity typically measured in bits
per second (bps)
 Sometimes call baud rate
 Transmission Rates
 Narrow-band = low speed
 Broadband = high speed

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 41

Switching Alternatives
 Circuit Switching
 Switch opens a circuit to establish a link
between a sender and a receiver
 It remains open until the communication
session is completed
 Packet Switching
 Breaks messages into groups called packets
 Transmits packets separately

Chapter 6 Telecommunications and Networks 42